January 2018

SAMUI An underground tunnel telling the story of Poppies and leading you to Samui’s most established restaurant

www.siamwininganddining.com

FREE COPY

JANUARY 2018

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

New Beginnings

It’s winter back home, but here, spring is in the air!

You might need those coats and hats when you get on the plane, but you certainly won’t be wearing them when you land! This is the time of year, for us anyway, when the rainy season has also turned the corner, and now we’re heading into calmer, milder weather. The sun is peeping out and the temperature is rising, but it’s still fresh and pleasant.

And this lends itself perfectly to strolling around, seeing the sights. Probably one of the most impressive of these is the number of restaurants that now abound. And there’s truly something for everyone, from fascinating food markets, to little street stalls, right through to cuisines of most nations and 5-star dining.

If it’s your first time here then you’ll take a while to adjust. Those solid midday meals are out; it’s just too warm for them. So you’ll no doubt find yourself doing what the Thais do – eating a good breakfast, and then nibbling a little at different times of the day; a salad or a sandwich or a pizza.

But then, the whole idea of dining is different here, too. Back home a ‘restaurant’ is a series of closed rooms indoors. But here most restaurants aren’t rooms at all. The standard style is to have a roofed-over space, usually open on three sides, with a wall at the rear for the kitchen. And always, everywhere you go, there are terraces outside, under the stars. What a great start to the New Year!

2017 "Delicious Destinations" Enjoy outstanding Thai and European cuisine from our highly experienced, award winning chef beside the golden sands of Chaweng beach.

Perfect for any occasion whether it be dinner with friends or family, or specially set up romantic dinner for two.

At Banana Fan Sea Resort

Chaweng Beach Road Tel: 0 7741 3483-6

E-mail: info@bananafansea.com

www.bananafansea.com

SAMUI

SAMUI An underground tunnel telling the story of Poppies and leading you to Samui’s most established restaurant

www.siamwininganddining.com

FREE COPY

JANUARY 2018

Monday & Saturday: Thai Buffet & Beach BBQ THB 900 Net Thursday: International Buffet THB 900 Net Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

New Beginnings

It’s winter back home, but here, spring is in the air!

You might need those coats and hats when you get on the plane, but you certainly won’t be wearing them when you land! This is the time of year, for us anyway, when the rainy season has also turned the corner, and now we’re heading into calmer, milder weather. The sun is peeping out and the temperature is rising, but it’s still fresh and pleasant.

And this lends itself perfectly to strolling around, seeing the sights. Probably one of the most impressive of these is the number of restaurants that now abound. And there’s truly something for everyone, from fascinating food markets, to little street stalls, right through to cuisines of most nations and 5-star dining.

If it’s your first time here then you’ll take a while to adjust. Those solid midday meals are out; it’s just too warm for them. So you’ll no doubt find yourself doing what the Thais do – eating a good breakfast, and then nibbling a little at different times of the day; a salad or a sandwich or a pizza.

But then, the whole idea of dining is different here, too. Back home a ‘restaurant’ is a series of closed rooms indoors. But here most restaurants aren’t rooms at all. The standard style is to have a roofed-over space, usually open on three sides, with a wall at the rear for the kitchen. And always, everywhere you go, there are terraces outside, under the stars. What a great start to the New Year!

2017 "Delicious Destinations" Enjoy outstanding Thai and European cuisine from our highly experienced, award winning chef beside the golden sands of Chaweng beach.

Perfect for any occasion whether it be dinner with friends or family, or specially set up romantic dinner for two.

At Banana Fan Sea Resort

Chaweng Beach Road Tel: 0 7741 3483-6

E-mail: info@bananafansea.com

www.bananafansea.com

Graeme Malley Editor

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

Karan Ladd Feature Writer

Nipawan Chuaysagul (Ning) Sales & Marketing Director ning@siammap.com Tel: 0 898 783 891

Henrik Bjørk Managing Director

Siam Map Company Ltd. 52/6, Samui Ring Road, Moo 3, Bo Phut, Samui, 84320 Thailand Tel: (66) 0 7742 2201 Fax: (66) 0 7741 3523 email: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission from Siam Map Company Ltd. Whilst every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. c Siam Map Company Ltd. 2018

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

Reservation Center: 1771 Samui Chaweng Office: 0 7760 1300 www.bangkokair.com

Eclectic Eats Palm Grove at Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui offers affordable theme nights in a wonderful colonial setting.

Please recycle or pass on to a friend.

Fresh local fish and seafood, cooked in authentic Thai way by the owner Supattra.

Great international wines!

Just a few tables in an open Thai sala style restaurant facing a mangrove forest.

Tel. 093 2828 777 Open 6:00 pm, closed Sunday & Monday www.facebook.com/supattrathaidining Seatran Ferry

Big Buddha Market

Airport

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The story of Chaweng is a zippy one. Buildings go up, get refurbished, pulled down and built up all over again. The architectural giddiness and neon brightness of it all wows some, and bemuses others. However, there’s another aside to the story. A few places that are so completely, utterly different that they hardly seem to belong in the same town. Centara Grand is definitely number one in this category. Built 21 years ago, the resort is like stepping back in time. You might think you were in some stage set for a colonial film – except that everything is real here. Set back from the beach road in Chaweng, its location is ideal, but more than that, it’s a kind of iconic sanctuary in the bright heart of the town. The atrium is exactly what you’d expect of some grand old hotel, complete with a sweeping staircase, tall columns and the type of plush armchairs that look as if Somerset Maugham or perhaps Graham Greene chose them to pen a

novel from. Take the stairs down to the impressive gardens and you'll come to Palm Grove, one of Samui’s longest-established restaurants.

Given the grandeur of the resort, the first surprise here is that the prices are all reasonable, and seem to be more in keeping with a much humbler restaurant. Palm Grove consists of a sumptuous dining room and an internal patio that seamlessly leads out into the main gardens, which in turn lead down to the sea. The setting is definitely sophisticated, and is in the hands of a very adept chef, Sandro Aguilera. He hails from Barcelona, and is a maestro when it comes to cooking anything and everything that’s even vaguely Mediterranean. The style of the food at Palm Grove channels much of that vast region, with its accent on freshness in seafood and meats, as well as fruits and vegetables. Wines have been

imported from around the world, and perfectly complement Sandro’s à la carte menu, which is available daily.

However, a lot of his guests don't even look at the menu when they turn up in the evening, and that’s because they've come for one or other of the theme nights that Palm Grove hosts. As with everything here, the prices are a draw, but so too are the tastes. And here, rather than your standard buffet, the restaurant relies on the chefs themselves to cook on the spot, You'll no doubt see Sandro himself, along with extremely helpful staff who make sure everything’s exactly right.

While you can make your own salad, they are there to take your order for mains and dishes that are best when individually made there and then.

Your order will be brought straight to your table as soon as it is ready.

The theme nights are held right out on the lawn (though inside if the weather’s looking bad) and always feature live music. The evenings all start at 7:00 pm and continue till 10:00 pm. Mondays feature zesty Peruvian ceviche and hearty Wagyu beef tacos, definitely a South American way to start an exciting week. It’s followed by the Tuesday night chef’s cooking box, consisting of Thai-style tapas and salads, with the Thai chef’s signature dishes and, of course, a selection of desserts. Turn up on Wednesday, and you're in for a smokehouse treat, with appetizers, a farm-style salad bar, followed by an epicurean barbecue of smoked meats and fish, and some delicious signature sweets. Thursday is the night for gourmet Mediterranean foods from all over the region, and includes an acrobatic show. The week winds down for Saturday’s Seafood Market, with the accent on locally-caught fish.

Last but not least, guests may wish to avail themselves of the daily wine buffet, which consists of two hours of free-flow red and white wine. It’s also from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm.

Visiting a top echelon restaurant that channels so much colonial charm is a must-have experience for anyone seeking to enjoy great food and drink.

Whether you've come for one or other of the theme evenings or are dining a la carte, you'll be in great hands and guaranteed a wonderful time here at Palm Grove.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7723 0500. www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/csbr/

Welcome to Olivio Italian Cuisine - sit back and enjoy the very best of Italian and Thai food in a relaxing atmosphere.

We’re renowned not just for our great tastes but our beautiful beachside setting too.

Olivio - Beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort & Villas Chaweng Beach. Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservations, please call : +66 77 332 950-7 Fax : +66 77 332 958 E-mail : booking@baanhaadngam.com www.baanhaadngam.com

www.siamwininganddining.com

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Thai Recipe Thai Style Barbecue Chicken - Gai Yang

Barbecued chicken is definitely a winner, especially if you're in a hot climate. Your guests’ enthusiasm may wane though if you're attempting to make this during a hard-hitting winter – the tastes of this barbecue are all light and summery, and are ideal for a dinner in a garden or on a balcony.

Ingredients: - 4 pieces chicken - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely chopped - 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves - 1½ tbsp lime juice Method: First keep in mind that for the sauce, you may need to do some testing as you add ingredients – you may want to adjust according to your tastes. (It goes without saying that you shouldn’t taste anything once it’s been in contact with raw chicken.)

Combine the garlic, ginger, coriander and lime juice in a big bowl then add the chicken and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or better still, overnight.

Next, prepare the barbecue. Grilling the chicken can be done over gas and this will work just fine, but the best way is to do what Thais have traditionally done for centuries, use a bed of red hot charcoal as this will add extra flavour to the chicken. Even if the dish is a cinch to make, you may need to get quite a bit of experience first when using Thai-style barbecues, especially if

they're the very small type favoured by food vendors. You need the barbecue to be hot but not so much that the chicken burns. You may need to tone down the heat so that the coals don’t scorch the chicken. How do you do that?

Simply use some leftover ashes from your last barbecue!

it’s too hot. If you see flames shooting up, then remove the chicken and let your barbecue cool down.

Once you're satisfied that the charcoal is ready, it’s time to put the chicken on. Use an oiled grill and cook until browned on one side, before flipping over and cooking on the other. Expect to hear at most a soft sizzle. If it’s loud it means

Serve the chicken as hot as possible along with sticky rice and a spicy dipping sauce.

BEACHFRONT DINING & COCKTAILS RockPool at Kanda Residences is a spectacular beachfront restaurant and bar situated just five minutes from Chaweng For reservations or more information call +66 77 234 500 www.rockpoolsamui.com Facebook: rockpool.kohsamui Daily high tea from 12pm and happy hour with buy one get one free on selected drinks from 5pm until 7pm.

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Make sure the meat is done; test by cutting it and seeing if the interior is white. If even remotely pink, continue to barbecue.

Dimitri Waring

Italian Star

High over the sea Dr Frogs Bar & Grill offers all-day dining that's every bit as awesome as the view.

Located right next to the foremost view point on the island, Dr Frogs wows with its beautiful views. Straight off, as soon as you walk in through the door, you'll see a vast stretch of ocean. And if you go to the balcony, the entire stretch of coast up as far as the northern tip of Chaweng. The setting is a delight in itself, and enough on its own to guarantee the restaurant success. However, the team that runs it are dedicated to providing quality dishes, and it’s their dedication, over the years, that’s provided the deep-down success that Dr Frogs Bar & Grill enjoys.

First off, the restaurant opens at 7:00 am and provides one of the island’s most sumptuous breakfasts. A whole range awaits, with everything you could desire, from eggs any style to salmon.

Then from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm, or later, depending on the number of guests, Dr Frogs serves its very eclectic all-day menu. Browse at length – there’s a lot here, and you'll easily be able to find at least a half-dozen items that take your fancy. It’s like being in a well-stocked restaurant in Italy; nothing is missing and food is all fresh, whether vegetables, meats or seafood.

Italian staples are shipped in, but wherever possible everything’s made from scratch. You'll find a full range of pizza and home-made pasta with mouth-watering toppings. Try, for example, gnocchi with gorgonzola, walnuts and cream.

Then there’s the popular selection of risottos, including the highly-recommended porcini, which has sautéed porcini mushrooms in white wine. For mains, try a hearty filet steak and

jumbo tiger prawns, accompanied by French fries, mashed or sautéed potatoes.

There's a whole range of other interesting dishes, and whether you've come for a light meal or something a lot more substantial, you'll find it here. Incidentally, Dr Frogs also offers a full range of Thai dishes too, and has its own chef for Thai food. Sample a range of treats from just about everywhere in the nation, and order according to your tastes – ensure you tell your waitress the degree of spiciness that you'd like.

In addition, come for lunch and you'll be free to use the pool down below at Boujis Boutique Resort, a luxury hotel next door, and all part of Dr Frogs.

Guest satisfaction springs not just from the food and the setting, but also from the attentiveness of the staff. Most of the team have worked together at Dr Frogs for a very long time. They're attentive, and are on stand-by whenever you need them; no need to call out or indulge in arm-waving tactics – a subtle nod’s usually enough. They speak good English and you're encouraged to make your needs known. They're good with children too and are very family-focussed. They'll customize the menu for even the pickiest of eaters – they're used to doing this. And for the occasional chilly nights, they'll even provide shawls for diners and will always ensure that everyone gets great treatment.

Heading the team is star chef Massimo Marianni, who was born and bred in Milan, and is well-known on the island both for his great food

and his friendly approach. He has a passion for cooking, and delights in making both classic and contemporary Italian food. It’s a no-nonsense approach; there's sophistication in his dishes, and even people who eat Italian all the time like to come to Dr Frogs.

The restaurant is also well-known for large scale catering for special events; groups come here to celebrate gatherings both corporate and family, as well as parties of all kinds, including of course, weddings. Thanks to having such ample space, Dr Frogs can cater for up to 100 guests for à la carte or sit-down meals. Weddings are incidentally held at Boujis Boutique Resort right by the sea in a beautiful and private setting.

Every Monday and Wednesday evening guests can enjoy live music performances by award winning artists, Nok ‘La Fiesta’ and Oliver Jones, which further adds to the convivial atmosphere and dining experience at this beautiful location.

Dr Frogs with its excellent menu and versatile chef offers affordable dining that’s way beyond the norms for Italian food. Come for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you'll see exactly why this is one restaurant that people enjoy returning to again and again.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information telephone 0 7744 8505. www.drfrogs.com

Located in the beautiful Fisherman’s Village on Bophut Beach.

Our experienced chefs proudly present authentic Thai cuisine and Southern Thai dishes. Fresh seafood is a must with great quality at reasonable prices.

Enjoy the tranquility of the beach, the twinkling stars and the whispering waves along with the beautiful music. A superb dining experience and great memories.

Fisherman’s Village l

Tel. 077 902 888, 077 430 030 l www.kruabophut.com l Free Parking available at the Wharf!! www.siamwininganddining.com 5

Catch of the Day Shelling out on cockles.

Accept no substitute. There are a lot of imitators about! For a start, there are Venus clams and ark clams, not to mention the Japanese little neck clams. All of these are quite often sold as ‘cockles’. They’re all about the same size, and the only difference is in the shell markings and the colouring. For that matter, even the sought-after and costly scallops look very much the same, although they tend to be larger.

But when it comes to brothers and sisters, you can line them all up: the smooth-shelled egg cockle, the blood cockle, basket cockles, rock cockles, hard shell cockles, even the inedible dog cockle – and these are just the common ones.

Altogether, there are 200 close members of saltwater clams officially known as the Cardiidea family, but more generally referred to overall as ‘cockles’. In fact, there are so many shellfish like this, that the most common in the Cardiidae family are called ‘true cockles’ by fishmongers and fishermen, just to distinguish them from the others.

Actually, these ‘true cockles’ are the Jumping Jack Flashes of the mollusc world. Many shellfish put

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down roots and hang about in the same place for months on end, just waiting to be eaten. Others crawl languorously, like stoned snails, from one rock to the next. But true cockles have really big feet – well, one of them, anyway. And when they decide that it’s time for a change of scene, it’s a question of bending this foot underneath and suddenly twanging it, thus popping the cockle out from under the surface of the seabed, and jumping to a new place several inches away.

Happily, they don’t do this when they’re on your plate – although it might be fun if they did.

You’ll find cockles lurking just below the surface of the mud or silt of a seabed or a shallow tidal estuary. They dig themselves in, all nice, cosy and hidden away, then pop up a little periscope.

This is actually a feeding tube through which they siphon water in and out, extracting the minute plankton upon which they live. They are rarely, if ever, harvested underwater. Rather, it’s when the tide is out that you’ll see the cockle catchers hard at work. The giveaway is that little feeder hole which indicates the presence of the cockle beneath. Unfortunately, the New Year period on Samui corresponds to a period of

unsettled seas, so you won’t notice any of the characteristically doubled-over figures, out on the sandbars!

In Europe, and in The British Isles in particular, cockles are a long-established food item for a great many people. Being an island kingdom, nowhere is very far from the coast. Back in Victorian times such fare was exclusively the province of the poor, many of whom were only able to subsist by gathering their own basic seafood diet. But, in the cities, the seafood vendors were to be found throughout the poorer areas, with the cries of “Cockles and mussels!” being a common backdrop. Even today, this tradition still exists, but the trade is now thriving instead via pre-vinegared polystyrene packs.

The town of Morecambe, in the blustery northeast of England, is one of Europe’s cockling focal points, and on most days, you’ll see upwards of 200 people slogging away with their dibbers, buckets and bags. Given the stamina, it’s quite usual to accumulate in excess of 40 bags in a day, each one weighing 25 kilos. And these, sold in the local markets, are worth around 600

Euros at today’s rates. In fact, in the last few years, with England having a surfeit of very cheap labour coming in from Poland and Romania, the numbers of cocklers along this part of the English coastline has effectively tripled.

The bulk of this produce is immediately shipped to Europe, where it fetches premium prices in Holland, Belgium, France and Spain - these counties having already almost exhausted their diminishing cockle beds.

But if the thought of all of this is making you shiver – after all you came here to get away from the gales and the near-zero temperatures – then lets come back to Thailand and its cockles.

Actually, the vast majority of the Kingdom’s shellfish production is via its farms, which currently outputs around 180,000 tons of cockles, mussels and oysters. But, for some reason, here on Samui, people seem to take great pride in breaking their backs for hours just to collect a few handfuls of these tiny molluscs, even though they are readily and cheaply available at all the markets. Interestingly, although you’ll come across the occasional dish which features cockles, they never seems to appear in any of the

featured seafood platters – just far too much work to fiddle about with them, I assume, for the amount of product that this generates.

No, instead you’ll come across them at private parties and barbecues, steamed and spiced, but heaped, still in their shells, all together in one big dish. Many people I know aren’t very keen on squid, as usually it’s too chewy and rubbery for their tastes. Cockles, on the other hand are notably less so, although I can think of many more appetising snacks than one that would look more in place at the end of a young person’s finger, but is also well seasoned with sand as an added attraction!

It takes all sorts to make a world. And, here in the sun, real, luscious, succulent seafood is readily available, and at a fraction of the price you’d pay for it back home. I suppose if you really wanted to you could scout around for mini molluscs – but, considering everything else that’s available, you’d have little reason to shell out for cockles at all!

Rob De Wet

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Bountiful Burma As tasty as it is unique, Burmese food awaits your discovery.

Cuisine that’s made to make the heart sing, Burmese food has been off the map for too long, but all that is undergoing a massive change as the country opens up ever more. It may be a few years away, but we can expect to see a slow, steady burgeoning of Burmese restaurants as word of the nation’s cuisine goes global.

Newcomers to Burmese food tend to imagine it resembles all the popular clichés of Thai cuisine: a repertoire of curries, with plenty of coconut on board and of course, above all, spiciness. The secrets of Burmese food may be legion, but one thing’s for sure: it’s not a variation on Thai food at all. The two are very different.

Classic Burmese cooking has evolved into a plethora of dishes that aren’t to be found anywhere else. There are rich, savoury and salty flavours, plenty of ingredients that are unique to the country, and influences from its neighbours in South-East Asia and China. In just a single meal there’s a lot to discover.

The best way to experience Burmese food is to sample it home-cooked, and eat along with a family – they’ll be able to explain what

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everything is and how it’s made. Or how about a tea shop? They don't just sell tea, and you're likely to find an amazing variety of dishes to try, depending on where the proprietor comes from.

You may be offered a traditional ‘htamin thoke’, a type of rice salad, while an Indian or Muslim-owned place may sell ‘poori’ or deep-fried bread served with a potato curry or naan-style baked breads. Other tea shops are more Chinese-style and serve steamed buns and dim sum-like items.

No foray into Burmese food is complete without a mention of its most famed and certainly most unexpected dish: not many places in the world can boast of a popular recipe that calls for fermented tea leaves or ‘lephet’. The dish is versatile enough to be eaten either as a salad or as a dessert, the latter being served on a lacquer tray if you're in a restaurant. It can also be eaten as a main dish when accompanied by a plate of rice. The basic way to make lephet is to mix the sour tea leaves with cabbage, tomatoes and then add beans, nuts and peas.

Curry is a core part of many Burmese meals, but they're quite different from either Thai or Indian

curries. They do tend to be quite heavy on either pork, beef, mutton or fish. But they’ll come with various side dishes, most often including some sort of salad, a medley of fried and/or raw vegetables, then dips and herbs. And of course there’ll be rice too. Dips may include the ever-popular fish sauce, ‘ngapi ye’ or the more fiery ‘balachaung’, a dry mix of chillies, garlic and shrimp.

The nation’s unofficial national dish is simply known as ‘mohinga’, a word that has no translation, and refers to round noodles made of rice that come in a fish broth that’s rich in herbs and shallots, and may be further enhanced using the pith of the banana tree. Eaten from breakfast onwards, and a favourite item at food carts, mohinga fuels the nation, both as a main dish and as a snack. Flakes of chilli and lime can be used to flavour mohinga, and it’s often accompanied by ‘akyaw’, or deep-fried vegetables.

Speaking of deep-fried foods, it’s hard to avoid them once you're in Burma. Whether you're buying from a mobile vendor or sitting in a tea shop, the snacks have a tendency to be

deep-fried. You'll find an abundance of samosas, spring rolls, savoury fritters, breads and desserts that are deep-fried. Needless to say, just because they're deep-fried, this doesn’t mean that they taste of oil. Try ‘buthi kyaw’, for example, battered and fried morsels of gourd. They're served with a tamarind dip, giving them a unique taste, and may also have bean powder added to give them an extra savouriness. Foods such as these are pretty hard to re-create outside the country, and your typical Asian grocery probably won’t stock all that’s needed for cooking Burmese style.

One dish that perplexes many a visitor is warm tofu or ‘hto hpu new’. It’s more unusual than it sounds, especially as it doesn’t actually contain any tofu at all; instead it’s a porridge made of chickpea flour. It comes from the Shan peoples of northern Burma, who traditionally serve it over rice noodles with chunks of marinated chicken or pork. It’s a lot more delicious than it sounds, and is accompanied by pickled vegetables and topped with chilli oil.

The Burmese are adept at making noodle salads, with the most popular being ‘nangyi thoke’.

Round noodles made of rice are mixed with chicken, fish cake, hardboiled egg and bean sprouts to form an unforgettable ensemble.

Roasted chickpea flour, turmeric and chili oil add further oomph to this highly tasty dish.

Regional cuisine can be broadly broken down into dishes found in lower Burma with more fish pastes and sour foods, and upper Burma with more sesame, nuts and beans used in recipes.

The spread of dishes that encompasses the cuisine of Burma is a huge, neglected treasure trove of deliciousness. Definitely worth discovering, it’s not as yet widely available, and still awaits to be better known. For the moment, you'll need to hunt it down wherever you can find it, unless you’re lucky enough to get a Burmese chef to teach you!

Dimitri Waring

Seek and Enjoy!

The Siam Residence in Lipa Noi is another of those hidden gems we all want to find!

The Siam Residence is no newcomer to the Samui scene. For those in the know, it’s become one of those special little places to drop into now and again. It’s boutique and family-owned – secluded and elegant, with acres of scrubbed white sand.

The luxurious accommodation is on a par with the top hotels. There’s a super restaurant under the stars. And you’ll find it tucked quietly away, just south of Nathon on the fringe of Lipa Noi. It’s difficulty to pick out just one reason that The Siam Residence is special. In part, it’s the location: this is what beaches on Samui used to be like. Scrupulously clean, with not a trace of litter or even debris cast up by the tide. Deserted and private. There’s not a jet ski or a row of beach umbrellas anywhere. And none of the wandering vendors or time-share people who congregate elsewhere.

But then there’s the way it’s managed and run.

It’s a blend of Austrian ownership and Swiss management. Everything here is just perfect – in fact it brings to mind the sort of pristine care that you’ll see in a Swiss garden or an alpine town.

The lawns are carefully manicured and edged by neat and brilliant floral borders. The glowing golden-toned paths are spotless. And the cottages themselves are picture-postcard perfect.

The restaurant here is simply titled ‘Grandma’s Kitchen’. But it comes as a bit of a surprise when you see the building for the first time: it’s actually two inter-connected glass octagons. (And this motif is repeated in the seafront massage room.).

There are lawns all around, and often in the evenings, you’ll also find that there are tables out on the grass, under the stars and overlooking the adjacent beach.

And then there’s the hospitality and service. Yes, of course we are in the Land of Smiles. But here it takes on an added breadth of meaning, as

you’ll find yourself warmly greeted by the Resident Manager, Jan Boog. “All of us here take a warm personal interest in our guests,” he told me, “and that includes visitors who come in to enjoy our restaurant, as well as our residents. We train our staff to a high level, and that’s reflected in the quality of service they extend to our guests.”

One of the signs of a good resort is the way they treat their staff. Many places on the island have a rapid staff turnover; they are constantly moving on seeking higher pay and promotion. But here the atmosphere is good, the staff are well-paid and appreciated, they have English lessons and financial help with their children’s education, and they’re more than content to stay in pleasant surroundings with good people around them, in what amounts to a family atmosphere.

The best example of this is Khun Lamyai Chaisuwan, the Head of Kitchen and, like a number of other staff, she’s been happy to work here for quite some time now – 24 years, in fact!

Her menu is traditional Thai, with all the expected popular dishes and also several that aren’t so well-known. She’s not content to remain static either, and has continued to evolve her fare, gradually adding new dishes and offering various combos and specials. And these are to be seen on the featured ‘specials’ chalkboard, which gets changed every few days.

To get the feel for the lovely little resort and what the restaurant has to offer, it’s probably best to come by in the daytime, have a drink and a snack, catch up with your emails or Facebook (free Wi-Fi) and make a note of its location. The restaurant’s open all day, and there’s a wide selection of lighter bites, preferable in the heat of the day. These range from a range of assorted salads, through to the usual sandwiches and snacks, and all sorts of seafood nibbles.

And, talking of seafood, this is an aspect in which Grandma’s Kitchen specialises. Yes, I know, just about every restaurant on the island says the same thing! But here Khun Lamyai has developed a system that’s both excellent, and yet effective in its simplicity. Everything is truly fresh; bought each day from the fishermen in Nathon (and none of it stays in the fridge until it’s sold, either).

So, first decide on what you want, or what combination. Choose from such items as prawns, king prawns, rock lobster, mussels, crab, snapper, mackerel, barracuda etc. – whatever is currently in season. (And if you want something special, lobster for example, then just order it a day or so in advance and it’ll be provided for you.)

And now for the good part: you can have it individually cooked to your preference. Choose between boiled, barbecued, deep fried with garlic and pepper or with tamarind sauce, sweet and sour, stir-fry etc.). There’s also an added healthy option: steamed in one of several different ways.

As Jan says, “If you want anything cooked a different way, then just ask!” And, of course, there’s a huge range of supplementary dishes, sides of various vegetables, different sorts of rice, soups and savouries.

To help you seek out The Siam Residence, and experience it to the full, take a look at their Facebook page and note the GPS location 9.513784, 99.936623. Enjoy!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 0008. www.siamresidence.com

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The Vegetables of Thailand From the remarkably familiar to complete surprises, delicious Thai vegetables come in all shapes and sizes.

Any visit to a local market will be an eye-opening experience if it’s your first time. You'll find the usual suspects, such as carrots, onions, potatoes and cauliflower – all of which star in many a Thai dish – but then there are others that are so unfamiliar and striking that you may wonder what other surprises Thailand has to offer.

We’ve put together a list of the vegetables that most visitors from abroad will find decidedly exotic. Alas, some don't travel so well and others just aren’t exported, so you may not find them once you've left Thailand, so tuck in while you have the chance to try them. One thing’s for sure – what they may lack in looks, they certainly make up for in taste.

Dimitri Waring

Chinese Broccoli or Chinese Kale (Phak Ka Na)

Chinese Radish (Hua Chai Tau)

This leaf vegetable belongs to the broccoli family, but tastes like a stronger and bitterer version of the usual kind found in the west. If you're buying at the market, look for ones that are bright green and have slender trunks. It’s delicious stir-fried, steamed, or boiled but not good to eat in its raw state. When cooked, you can simply eat along with some oyster sauce. Always cook the trunks first, well before the leaves in order to get balanced cooking results.

Always a popular pick at the market, this vegetable, also known as the giant white radish or winter radish, is thought by many to cool the body and aid the circulation of the blood. This alone guarantees it will always sell well, Thailand being a very hot country. It tastes good, too, and is usually eaten cooked. It has a sharp taste when raw, but on cooking an additional sweetness appears. The raw, grated flesh meanwhile is sometimes used to tenderize seafood.

Twisted Cluster Bean (Sa Taw)

Pea Aubergines (Makreu Puang)

These beans come from massive trees that tend to thrive best in the south of Thailand. They come in bright green pods and are renowned for their smell but also for their nutty taste. Used to flavour dishes, they certainly add distinction to stir-fries, especially ones that focus on sweet and sour tastes.

Sometimes they're roasted and made into pickles. Thais particularly value them, and you'll find them proudly displayed outside restaurants and eateries that offer them. Their other name is stink beans, but don’t let that put you off – they're delicious.

Often confused with garden peas, though a lot harder, this type of aubergine grows in small clusters and is ideal for curries, especially Thai green curries. They have a bitter taste so go well in tempering rich, sweet tastes of coconut milk found in many hot dishes. Widely available, simply pull the aubergines off their stalks, wash in a colander and throw into the cooking pot to add flavour.

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Angled Loofah (Buap Liam)

Apple Aubergines (Makheua)

This intriguing vegetable goes under many aliases: silk gourd, silk squash and Chinese okra all refer to this courgette lookalike, except that it has angled ridges every quarter inch along its length. It’s closely related to the loofah and tastes a bit like a cucumber. In Thailand angled loofah is a favourite ingredient for stir-fries and soups, and goes well with spicy food. Eat when the vegetable is still young, as later on it’ll acquire a mature taste, which is nasty and bitter. The loofah is of course a type of sponge, and in its young stage it's ideal for soaking up liquid before being eaten.

Cut one open while it’s raw and you'll find white flesh which is surprisingly succulent.

These golf-ball sized vegetables don’t look at all like any aubergine you may have seen before.

Though they appear tough, you can eat them raw, as many Thais do. Colour-wise they vary from a pale green to white. Ideal for cooking in curries, though don’t simmer them for too long as they’ll quickly become too soft and lose their taste, which is extremely mild to begin with. You'll find them at every market and they're always in season.

Lotus Root (Raug Bua)

Taro (Puak)

The lotus root is unusual in that it grows underwater. It can be very long, up to four feet. Always peel before using. Inside you'll find a white, creamy interior which tastes a little like coconut. It’s a favourite when it comes to making desserts. To cook the root, slice into rounds and then boil in water. Add stock and you'll have a basic soup. Also try lotus shoots which are mild, refreshing, and crunchy. They're ideal in a simple salad accompanied by chicken.

Very common in the north of Thailand, this root can be found close to the banks of rivers where it often grows wild. The starchy interior of taro can be eaten much like a potato. It’s incredibly popular in across South-East Asia, and is believed to be one of the first ever crops cultivated. In Thailand taro is used in a variety of ways, depending on the region. You'll find boiled taro in markets, sold in plastic bags and eaten as a snack. A favourite dessert is boiled taro with coconut milk. Raw taro is also deep fried and sold as chips.

Wax Gourd (Fak Khiao)

Winged Bean (Thua Phu)

Also known as the white gourd or Chinese preserving melon, the solid, white flesh is encased in a rounded oblong which is coloured anywhere between pale green and white. You'll find it most often used in soups, curries, and stir-fries but it’s occasionally made into a drink. It has a long shelf life, which is fortunate as the gourd may reach up to well over a foot in length.

The bean is so named because of the extensions on the bean that look a little like wings. It makes a great addition to various dishes, especially salads. All parts of the plant from the seeds, shoots and leaves can be eaten. If you're a versatile cook, you'll enjoy using these beans in your cooking, even more so as they're incredibly healthy too.

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Koh Convenience

Born in America, convenience stores play a big part in modern Thai life.

Next time you're in one of Samui’s many convenience stores after midnight, you'll probably be appreciative that such stores open so late. If you're at all gemmed up on convenience store history (not many people are) you'll know that the 24/7 operating hours all date back to a ball game that took place in 1963, in Austin, Texas; a match held late in the day meant that the local 7-Eleven (the stores were named after their daily working hours) kept open way beyond its usual closing time. Business boomed that night, and the store managers looked in amazement at the takings. From then on it was clear: the store could and should stay open a lot longer– and so the 24 hour convenience store was born.

The idea of a never-closing store caught on in many countries, and especially Thailand, which ranks as number three in the world when it

comes to having the most 7-Elevens. It’s only overtaken by the USA, in first position, and Japan, in second.

The other store of this kind in Thailand is Family Mart. Neither of them looks even remotely Thai, but they’re so ingrained now in the culture that without them Thailand wouldn’t be the place that it is today. Usurpers or part of the landscape?

Many holidaymakers coming to tourist centres like Samui, Phuket or Krabi presume that the stores are there for westerners. Nothing could be further from the truth. Go into any of them and you’ll find that it’s mostly Thai people who are shopping. The stores are one more example of how Thailand is inspired by what’s happening in the outside world, and then begins to assimilate it until finally it becomes a Thai institution in itself. Today there can be very few Thais who haven’t been to a 7-Eleven or Family Mart.

It was initially very hard for 7-Eleven to get started in Thailand. Existing grocery store owners were unwilling to change to the new 7-Eleven system, which was little known. Their stores were already making good profits, and were well-placed for their customers who regularly dropped in. The solution was for the company to set up some stores by themselves, and once up and running find franchisees to take them over.

However, today, you can still see a fair number of Thai-style convenience stores which command the loyalty of customers who usually live in the neighbourhood. Many have been running for decades. They’ll be staying too, and are an equal part of the Thai landscape. If you’re on Samui, you’ll see plenty of these stores run by family members who take it in turns to keep the store open long hours, though it’s never all day and all night. Prices are typically written on the products themselves, and there’s no cash till as such and

no receipts. These stores sell a range of goods that the very local customers will ask for. Apart from food, this might consist of cleaning products, seeds for planting, hardware supplies, drinking water and gardening accessories.

These Thai-style convenience stores are now facing ever greater competition as more and more 7-Elevens and Family Marts open. Drive along Samui’s ring-road and in most parts there’s one of the new breed every kilometre. In places they face each other across the road, inviting you to take your pick. Holidaymakers and residents alike even complain that there are simply now too many. Yet, very few close down. They’re always in business, and of course their doors are always open. Pop inside and you’ll see why. The stores are immaculately clean, bright and everything is clearly presented. There’ll be quite a lot of variety, though for some items, whole

aisles will be devoted to popular products. If you’re into potato crisps, for example, there’s an enormous range. The same goes for carton drinks. The staff also double as cooks – making instant meals in microwave ovens. They have also introduced the nation to toasties, and have whetted the Thai appetite for something that previously was a western liking only – bread.

Whether you think convenience stores are a blight on the landscape, or you love the sheer number of services and products they offer, it looks like there’s going to be ever more of them.

On Samui you'll see new ones going up every month, as more and more people seem to demand their services.

Dimitri Waring

Fine Beachside Dining with Spectacular Sunsets

THE SIAM RESIDENCE B o u t i q u e

R e s o r t

Thai & International cuisine in Lipa Noi / Koh Samui Phone: +66 (0) 77 420 008 | samui@siamresidence.com | www.siamresidence.com

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Totally Tomatoes!

Marzano Pizzeria specialises in food fit for a queen.

Originally a food for the poor of Italy, the Neapolitans gave pizza some much-required pizzazz. The results so impressed Queen Margherita, that she endorsed the dish that now bears her name. Legend has it that Marzano tomatoes originate from the small town of San Marzano Sul Sarno, near Naples, Italy. They started growing here in the lush volcanic soil beneath Mount Vesuvius, after a gift of seeds from the Viceroyalty of Peru. The true recipe requires these tomatoes, along with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

Marzano Pizzeria is found right on the beach, in the heart of Chaweng, at Malibu Koh Samui Resort & Beach Club, and is named after these famed tomatoes, which it incorporates in many dishes. Here they make the traditional Neapolitan-style pizzas, with lots of attention to the dough, making it thin, light and crispy. And they only use the freshest ingredients and toppings; Marzano tomatoes, of course, amazing handmade cheeses, the choicest meats and seafood and freshest herbs and spices. All baked to perfection, in an old-fashioned wood-fired

pizza oven that heats up to 400 degrees Celsius, giving the perfect pizza in only five minutes!

The most popular pizzas are the Margarita, and the Diavola. The Diavola has spicy salami, Parmesan, rocket and chilli oil in addition to the Marzano tomato sauce and mozzarella. If you love your cheese, try the Baci Quattro Fromaggi (Four Cheese Pizza), rolled with green apples, gorgonzola, parmesan, mozzarella, taleggio, rocket and balsamic vinegar. Simply divine!

But Marzano is not just all about pizza. Popular starters include the special Rocket Salad, with apple and toasted almonds, and the Grilled Tiger Prawn Salad; with crispy bacon and asparagus and not forgetting the universal favourite; Bruschetta Tomato, with salad and olive oil.

Pasta dishes consist of either spaghetti or penne, both freshly prepared on the premises.

Chef recommendations include the Marinara Seafood with mussels, prawns, squid, San Marzano tomatoes (of course), garlic, anchovy and parsley, and the Aglio Olio Bacon with

virgin olive oil, bacon, garlic and dried chilli.

The Thai chefs are expertly trained in the original Neapolitan style of cooking, so all food is authentic, but you can mix and match ingredients among dishes to get your perfect combination… just ask! And being Thai, the chefs are also experts in Thai cuisine. So, if someone is not in the mood for Italian, there are all the Thai favourites to choose from too. Complete your meal with one of the delicious desserts. The extra-special Tiramisu or Panacotta Cheesecake comes highly recommended, with just the right hint of sweetness to round off your meal. They arrive at your table beautifully decorated with flowers and some artistic surprises!

A range of modestly priced wines, including the Italian favourites Prosecco and Pinot Grigio are available, as well as a wide range of beers (including imported Italian brands), cocktails, mocktails, healthy fruit juices and smoothies.

There are daily happy hours from 1:00 pm till 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm till 7:00 pm daily, with discounts on standard cocktails and selected beers and spirits. All prices on the menu include

service charge and government tax, no hidden extras when you get your bill!

The informal, light and airy restaurant is on two floors, right by the beach and has recently been given a make-over. The colour scheme is warm brown tones, mixed with black and white, giving it a homely yet modern feel. Wooden tables and chairs inter-mix with sofa’s, and a blackboard announces today’s specials, all very Italian.

Upstairs is more informal still, with tall ceilings set with fans and a balcony overlooking the ocean.

If the weather permits, tables and beanbags are set up on the beach, surrounded by lanterns in the evening, creating a special romantic or relaxing mood. Sit beneath the coconut trees, feel the sand between your toes and listen to the gentle shush of the waves on the beach as you enjoy some of the best authentic Italian food around. Phone ahead if you want to create that extra special romantic setting on the beach and away from the restaurant. Anything is possible here!

Marzano Pizzeria offers an amazing relaxed dining experience at reasonable prices with super-friendly staff. The resort is located just 50 metres off the main one-way Chaweng Beach Road. It’s clearly signposted opposite Starbucks at the entrance to Central Festival. Head to the reception and wander through the tropical gardens, past the bungalows until you reach the swimming pool. The beach is straight ahead and the restaurant is to your right.

If you want the real deal, to savour and truly experience an authentic Italian pizza, then go ‘totally tomatoes’ and be treated like royalty, at Marzano Pizzeria.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7733 2855.

Email: fo@malibukohsamui.com www.malibukohsamui.com

MUST TRY THAI CUISINE FOR A TRULY AUTHENTIC GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE

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Landmark Cuisine At Nora Buri Resort & Spa, an architectural masterpiece houses top-notch Thai and international restaurants.

Leaving your mark on a landscape calls for confidence – something that Nora Buri Resort & Spa, part of the completely independent Nora hotel group, have plenty of. They designed an award-winning building that houses both the resort’s magnificent restaurants. Approach from the beach, and you can’t help but notice how it looks a little like one of the rice barges, famed for plying the River Chao Phraya in Bangkok.

The building’s riverine gracefulness ensures that it’s eye-catching, and completely different from anything you may have seen before. But what really makes it stand out is the deliciousness of the food, both the Thai menu served at Rice Barge & Terrace and the international menu at The Barge Restaurant.

Let’s take a look at each in turn. For Thai, at Rice Barge & Terrace, a musician sets the scene every evening by playing traditional melodies on a kim, a traditional wooden xylophone, popular in

Thailand. Sit at a table, relax on triangular cushions or take your place on a patio with views over the sea. The Thai dishes come from all over the country, and most are well-known; all your favourites in other words. However, some are relatively new takes, for example, salmon with a deliciously creamy curry sauce. If you're new to Thai cuisine and not sure what you might like, then choose a Thai set meal. The selections are exquisite, with everything beautifully presented.

If you're more interested in international food, head downstairs to The Barge Restaurant, where you can enjoy a whole gamut of favourites, with many dishes being influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. There’s a big accent on seafood thanks to the island’s local fishing fleets which always bring back an excellent catch. Meats are plentiful too, and whether it’s a prime steak you're hankering after or some lamb, you'll find it here.

Maenam Bophut Nathon

Chaweng

Samui

Lamai

7

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www.drfrogs.com

Popular vegetarian dishes are also to hand, too, making it easy to find something delectable, no matter what your tastes.

Don’t worry if you would like to combine Thai food and western food; your waiter will bring you both menus and you can pick and mix.

What could be better?

If you're in a romantic mood, you'll certainly enjoy a special dinner, right on the beach in a private, decorated gazebo. Places are limited, so you'll need to reserve in advance, and choose which of three highly special menus you would like, though you may also want to make some changes. This is no problem for the culinary team. They pride themselves on going the extra mile. For example, if there's something that you'd like that’s not on the menu, the team will make it for you, just so long as they have the ingredients that are needed.

The staff working at both restaurants are headed

by Executive Chef, Tonny Lawrence. He grew up in Indonesia, and developed a love of both regional and international cuisine. After attending cooking school, he worked in high-ranking resorts in the Maldives, Oman, Indonesia and Thailand. He’s adamant about using the freshest of ingredients, thereby guaranteeing that each dish is as tasty as possible. He also believes in making as much as possible from scratch. The approach is a truly professional one and is reflected in the number of satisfied diners at both restaurants. Whether chef Tonny is making dishes for the menu or preparing something one-off like a wedding reception dinner, you can be sure that he will be methodically ensuring the food is exceptionally tasty. And by the way, he’s just created a new signature dish, which is a must-try: The Barge Seafood Delight - Salmon, Prawns, Mussels and Squid Served with Wrapped Tom Yum Goong Fried Rice.

It’s an extraordinary difficult task to run a single large restaurant, but to manage two, both serving totally different cuisines, is a real feat. But Chef Tonny manages to take everything in his stride.

Diners are happy – and come back for more. All this makes eating at either of Nora Buri’s restaurants a treat. And there’s also a further bonus: the price of the food represents great value for money; it won’t break the bank, but you'll feel you’ve been to a feast.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 3555. www.noraburiresort.com

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Betel Times Ahead?

Betel nut may seem like an obscure drug, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Taiwan. Early evening. Neon signs on a glass-fronted store, men stopping their cars outside while scantily-clad women inside prepare small packages. The same scene is repeated all over the country. What’s happening? Customers are stocking up on one of the world’s most popular drugs - betel nut. Six hundred million people use it, mostly by chewing until the drug gets into the blood stream. A cultural tradition in some countries, but a scourge in all of them, betel nut is a problem affecting huge swathes of the globe. From school children in Papua New Guinea, already hooked by the age of six, to construction workers in Dubai, trying to stay awake, to farmers in Bangladesh facing a long slog in the fields, the chewing of betel nut affects the populations of many countries. And it has done for many generations. Evidence from archaeological sites suggests that betel chewing is at least 4,000 years old.

It was in the 1500s that Dutch and Portuguese sailors first loaded the holds of their ships with betel and its paraphernalia, and brought it to Europe. It never really caught on there –

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thankfully, as we will soon see – though today you can still find it lurking in the dusty reaches of Asian supermarkets here and there. What most people know about betel is that it’s chewed, has some kind of drug-like effect and turns the mouth and teeth a bright red.

The term ‘betel’ usually refers to two components. The first is areca nut, which over time hardens to the point where it can only be cut using a special tool. It is commercially sold in various forms, but when it comes to chewing, just a few slices are wrapped in the second component, a betel leaf, often along with slaked lime. The combination of nut and leaf together becomes a psychoactive drug and is mostly referred to as ‘betel nut’. One thing’s for sure: if the combination of areca nut and betel leaf wasn’t a drug, few people would bother with it, due to its rather astringent taste. It’s very unlikely that any chef, no matter how inventive, is going to pen a tome along the lines of ‘Favourite Betel Nut Recipes’. It’s really only chewed for its stimulant properties.

If you're from the west, you may never have seen anyone actually chewing on betel, so it might seem that it’s an obscure pastime, the kind of thing that you might only come across in some incredibly rural backwater. Here in Thailand, the chewing of betel has steadily decreased in the last decades. Young people rarely chew on it, and when they do it’s rarely in big cities and towns. You'll still see it in the form of small trays with betel leaves and areca nuts gracing Buddhist shrines as offerings. It’s still sold in some markets, but as the years go by, demand is sinking so steadily that soon it may become a rarity. Meanwhile, however, it enjoys varying degrees of popularity in many Asian and Oceanic countries.

If you're looking for signs that the local community is into chewing betel, you won’t just see the evidence on people’s red-stained mouths and lips, you'll also see it on the ground; chewing betel produces a lot of saliva that has to be spat out. It’s also bright red and an unmistakable sight on the pavement. The spitting alone causes it to be shunned, and governments

in many countries are keen to ban at least the spitting aspect, which most people, including the habitués, find disgusting.

So what’s it like to actually chew betel nut?

People report various different sensations. One thing unites them all - the taste. The vast majority finds it bitter, and that explains why, so often, it’s enhanced with various spices, such as cloves, cinnamon and so on. The effects, however, are likely to make the chewer forget the actual taste and to soldier on. Very quickly, he or she will experience a sensation of alertness coupled with euphoria. The first quality makes it ideal for those who are working hard at manual jobs and trying to keep awake. The second, the happiness factor, turns it into a drug that injects a sense of cheer into perhaps an otherwise morose day. A drug with not one but two hooks is bound to be unforgettable.

The downside is that betel nut is definitely addictive. It is a carcinogenic and can attack the mouth and throat. It’s responsible for millions of new oral cancer cases across the world. Various

compounds are to be found in the nut, most importantly arecoline (an ingredient that is similar to nicotine). Amongst betel users, cancer is the number one killer, and is directly caused by the ingredients that are chewed.

These days we’re always being reminded how we should include nuts, seeds and berries in our diets, but when it comes to the deadly combination of areca nut and betel leaf, it’s best to avoid it. Though it is part of nature and not an artificial drug, the betel habit is a curse and not a blessing. Too many of those who chew betel wish they’d never started, and perhaps for the West it’s better that it never became part of people’s psyche.

Dimitri Waring

Princess of the River A look at one of Chaweng’s more stylish resorts, Sareeraya – and the excellent dining at their ‘Chef’s Table’.

Sareeraya Villas & Suites is one of Samui’s more interesting resorts. It appeared at a time when there was a fashion for minimalism – places were trying hard to make bare concrete and large empty spaces some kind of new trend. But what others did with no imagination, Sareeraya surpassed with a cool, clear essay in harmonious contrasts. There’s the continual interplay between rough and smooth, light and dark. And the harmonies of complementary natural and man-made items: wood, metal, stone and fabric.

And everywhere the sight and sound of running water.

The name ‘Sareeraya’ means ‘Princess of the River’. And as you might have already gathered, water is a motif which permeates this resort. And that includes the understated frontage, too. It’s a large and imposing place, but you’ll get little inkling of this from the main beach road outside.

But if you slow-down and look around when you get to the Samui International Hospital in North Chaweng, you can’t help but see the high, grey wall of Sareeraya directly opposite.

There’s something of a surprise as you come in towards reception; the crafted-architecture of cool space is delightful. I’m not going to be distracted by enthusing about the sheer opulence of the luxurious 49 five-star suites and pool villas here, but if you gaze around you’ll notice some of them discreetly tucked away as you make your way through towards Chef’s Table and the beach.

through to a choice of mains that include meat, fish, pasta and risottos, plus a fair range of veggie dishes. But what makes Chef’s Table stand out is the way it goes about presenting its range of seafood.

Meaning that you’ll see ‘Prawns – 4 pieces = 100 grams’ (and so on) on the menu, making it effortless to order 200 grams of prawns or 100 grams of mussels and know exactly how much you’ll be getting.”

In keeping with the rest of the ethos, the restaurant’s décor is minimalist yet refined, the style throughout being subtle and understated.

The far wall is a modern mosaic with golden sunrays. The furniture is dark, strong, and geometric. It’s cool and shady and open on two sides, with whirling rattan fans overhead. It’s a perfect setting for dining.

Cesar Liesa is the resort’s Director of Food & Beverages, and also Executive Chef. And he’s made his reputation at five-star establishments around the world. His speciality is seafood, however, and he’s particularly expert in his creative flair with sides and sauces. But he’s a thoughtful sort of guy. And he’s come up with a simple but innovative way of looking at the seafood on offer. Instead of presenting a menu which prices it per gram, he’s logically rearranged it so that diners know right away how things stand.

But Cesar’s taken it all one step further. He’s introduced ‘Seafood Boards’. Essentially these are a neat way of combining together sea bass, salmon, squid, soft shell crab and prawns, along with various different side orders. For instance, ‘Sea Bass Board A’ has sea bass, squid and prawns. ‘Board B’ adds soft shell crab to this, and ‘Sea Bass Board C’ has sea bass, squid, soft shell crab and prawns all together. There’s also a lobster option – which can be chosen with any of these combinations – but that is a separate menu item.

The menu is International and Thai. The Thai selections are straightforward enough, with a strong emphasis on seafood. The overall à la carte menu is varied and pleasing, ranging from daytime lite-bites, salads and sandwiches,

“Everyone always asks how many prawns (or mussels or crabs) they get for, say, 100 grams – it’s impossible for people to visualise this,” he told me. “So now our menu is laid out in such a way that it’s priced per item and not in weight.

But there’s one other thing going on at Chef’s Table that is raising eyebrows because of its innovation. They are offering a cocktail-making class. Everywhere has a Thai cooking class, but this is the first cocktail class we’ve heard of.

Essentially you can select any three of the Sareeraya signature cocktails, and work side-by-side with their featured mixologist as you learn how to get the balance exactly right. For example, the ‘Pearl of Sareeraya’ contains gin, apple brandy, lychee, lime, pineapple and grenadine, and it’s not easy to make, as the order of blending is crucial and the balance has to be just right. Classes run twice a day, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, and from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm and need to be booked by appointment.

Enjoy this, and all the other gastronomic delights above, only at Sareeraya Villas & Suites and Chef’s Table!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 4333. www.sareeraya.com

Beachside Dining at its Best

餐厅-歡迎中國貴賓

Romantic Dinner I Seafood Basket with Lobster For reservations, please call 077 956 055 www.siamwininganddining.com 17

The Wine Page Do You Know The Lingo?

Wine is an absorbing subject to write about, because it’s both easy and difficult at the same time. The often-bizarre descriptive language used in columns and books, is known as ‘winespeak.’

It is a lingo, or jargon, common among professionals, and people involved in the wine business. And like so many other trades and businesses, wine certainly has its own lingo.

I can admit to being guilty of over using winespeak myself, partly because it’s a way wine enthusiasts spot each other. But these days, I have come to realise that regular consumers of wine often read wine columnists and scour wine reviews looking for simple guidance. And they may well wonder which guides to trust. After all, what do the adjectives and nouns really mean?

These are important questions for a wine buff.

The conscientious writer tries to convey the experience you will have if you drink the wine.

And this requires some objective details on flavour (the tricky bit). But what most people undoubtedly really want to know is, will they like it?

Flavour, especially when it comes to wine, is made up of two components, its aroma and its

taste. The sceptic about the importance of wine aroma should try drinking a glass while holding his or her nose. Certainly, part of the pleasure of drinking wine is catching the differences between what a wine smells like and how it tastes. For many, the nose is almost more interesting, because layers of smell are sometimes more complex, and easier to discern than layers of taste. I met a professional wine taster who told me that when push came to shove on finally deciding which bottle to award the points to, he uses only his nose to judge a wine's true characteristics. Indeed, the aroma has produced some arresting characterizations of individual types of wine. Well-known, but usually prissy, wine writer, Jancis Robinson surprised everyone with one such statement, “Wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, whether a Sancerre from the Loire or the popular wines from New Zealand, have the aroma of cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush.” The scent of gooseberries, yes, hints of nettles, elderflowers, and grass, absolutely. But cat’s pee? That is more difficult. What if you do not own a cat? Would you recognize this particular scent? And even more to the point, would this description necessarily encourage you to buy it?

Another columnist’s recent description of a certain New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s aroma was that “it reminded him of a rugby club changing room!” (We can only hope that this was more dismissive than descriptive.) And a notable writer on Burgundy wrote, “Great Burgundy smells like shit.” Again, let us think about it. The classic fruit scent for wine made from the Pinot Noir grape in Burgundy is raspberries, and for some of us, the faint scent of rubber is a possible clue. But, his crude and attention-seeking description? Does he mean the faint compost-like aroma that can accompany fine wines? Or does he actually mean that arising from the less salubrious section of a farmyard? Either way, it is difficult to see the comment pinned on the shelf of your wine shop. Unless perhaps, it's in Australia, where the often-quoted no-nonsense description of mature Shiraz as having a “sweaty saddle character,” does not seem to cause any panic.

Some wine columnists love to pile on the more agreeable nouns. I remember reading about a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon having “gobs of fruit, blackcurrants and dark berries, with notes of leather and a hint of liquorice, chocolate and

coffee.” In my opinion, there can be two possible responses to that. You could pour a glass of the wine, sniff it, swirl it and sniff it again, and try, with increasing desperation, to find each of these scents. Or, the more pragmatic wine buff can justifiably argue that few people can really discern more than a small handful of scents and tastes, so just pour yourself a glass, drink it, and decide whether or not you like it.

However, I have noticed that what appears to lure consumers into wine shops, are the adjectives describing fruit. Whether it is tropical fruit and melons, for Australian Chardonnay, or blackcurrants for claret from the Médoc, and especially from Cabernet Sauvignons from the New World. How commonly is ‘dark cherries’ used as an adjective for an Italian Valpolicella?

And ‘vanilla tones’ used as a lazy description for heavily oaked wines? Unfortunately, with the cheaper wines, what often happens is that the scents on the nose seldom translate directly into tastes on the palate. Of course, some do, particularly the aggressively fruity New World wines. And perhaps we should be thankful that ‘pencil shavings,’ ‘petrol tones’ and ‘compost heap’ seldom do translate into taste. For me, it is

exactly these types of experiences that demonstrate why sniffing a wine before sipping is so interesting. I know it looks a little pretentious and nerdy, but the selfish pleasure is doubled.

Having made you read all this winespeak about aromas and flavours, the truth is that I can only take you only so far. There is simply no substitute for physical tasting. After that, it is up to you to decide what your personal wine preferences are. But it’s well worth remembering that we never stop learning about wine, so long as we keep an open mind. And learning the lingo will definitely help to find what you are looking for on a good restaurant’s wine list, or on the shelves of a reputable wine shop.

Peter James

Sabienglae restaurants offer traditional fresh seafood and cuisine in an authentic southern Thai style.

Come and enjoy our unique dishes, many of which you won’t find elsewhere on the island, in a relaxing atmosphere. An experience to truly complete your holiday.

Sabienglae Restaurant

The Wharf Samui, Fishermans’s Village For reservation please call 077 332 651

18 www.siamwininganddining.com

Hin Ta Hin Yai, Samui Ring Road For reservation please call 077 233 082-3

Wimaan Buri Resort, Chaweng Ring Road For reservation please call 077 962 333

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort presents a wide range of restaurants and bars featuring a variety of cuisines to suit all tastes.

Premium cocktails and selected wines are also available in each outlet.

STAR

A stunning rooftop bar where you can sip our signature cocktails and enjoy some snacks while watching the sunset or gazing at the stars above.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs.

The Height

Sun Deck

Wine and Cigar Lounge

Oering an extensive menu of delightful Thai cuisine, the restaurant has both air-conditioned and open air seating options, all with stunning views of the surrounding sea.

Open: 17.00-22.30hrs.

Exclusive dining on the deck with breathtaking views.Enjoy International delights in a romantic setting with your loved one. Please reserve in advance.

Refreshments, cocktails and snacks with a selection of premium wines and cigars to enjoy the breathtaking view.

Open:18.00-22.30hrs.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort 208/66 Moo4, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84310 Thailand Tel: (+66) 077 960 555 Fax: (+66) 077 960 055 www. Silavadeeresort.com www.siamwininganddining.com 19

Rice Barge &

Terrace

Fine Beachside Dining at the Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY Candlelight Set Dinner for 2 persons at Rice Barge Thai Cuisine and The Barge TUESDAY - GRILLED NIGHT Chef Special Thai or Western set menu for 2 persons at Rice Barge and The Barge WEDNESDAY - HAWAIIAN STYLE Hawaiian Seafood Buffet THB 1,290/person Children 6-12 half price (Special price for advance reservations) Entertainment: The Barge Band and Polynesian show.

Free Management Cocktail & Canapes 6-7 pm THURSDAY Thai or Western set menu for 2 persons at Rice Barge Thai Cuisine and The Barge EVERY DAY Thai Cooking Class - Reservation in advance Bartender Master Class - Reservation in advance Happy Hours: Swimming Pool: Hillside 1pm-2pm. Beachside 2pm-3pm Lobby Lounge 6pm-8pm, Rice Barge 6pm-7pm The Barge 6pm-7pm Private Dinner THB 3,500, 7,000, 8,500, 11,000 net Reservation in advance SATURDAY - WEEKEND DAY Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine Chef Signature Set Menu THB 3,000 for 2 persons SUNDAY - FAMILY DAY The Barge Western Cuisine & Seafood Chef Signature Set Menu THB 3,000 for 2 persons

Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

It’s all happening at Nora Beach Resort & Spa Tuesday Night- Around Asia Night. We invite you to experience a variety of traditional Thai dishes.

Price THB 850 per person. Entertainment: Ponglang & Pink 8 Duo Band.

Thursday Night - Hawaiian Night. Enjoy our chef’s special buffet creations. Price THB 950 net per person. Children 6-12 years old half price. Entertainment: Fire Show & Pink 8 Duo Band.

Thai Cooking Class Learn how to cook 3 authentic Thai dishes with our Thai Chef.

Inclusive of chef hat, apron, certificate and recipe.

Fruit Carving Class Inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate.

Daily Happy Hours Pool Bar 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm & 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm. Prasuthon Restaurant 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm.

Lobby Bar 7.00 pm - 8.00 pm & 10.00 pm - 11.00 pm.

Romantic Private Dining Dining on the beach with private chef and waiter/waitress.

Set menu THB 4,000 for couple.

Thai menu THB 6,000 per couple.

International menu THB 8,000 per couple.

Advance reservation required

For further information please telephone 0 7742 9400 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com 20 www.siamwininganddining.com